Callum O'Hare and Gus Hamer whet the appetite but old habits die hard - final word on Sheffield United's draw with QPR

Sheffield United certainly got a boot up the backside on Saturday, a day which summed up the unpredictable Championship as succinctly as anything.

Seasoned Unitedites will have probably suspected that a first league win on parched Bramall Lane soil in 2024 – the previous one was back in December – would not be straightforward and so it subsequently proved and the wait continues.

Their side definitely flirted with ending it, tantalisingly.

At 2-0 up at the interval, all was set fair in the world. You could metaphorically smell the Woodbine smoke and the aroma of a greasy chip butty. The sight of United subjugating a cowed opponent at their Bramall Lane citadel was like greeting an old friend you hadn’t seen in a while.

They were looking good, headlined by the stellar contribution of Gus Hamer and Callum O’Hare, who proved that strikers don’t just hunt in pairs, but midfielders as well.

In retrospect, maybe it was a bit too easy. Chris Wilder’s counterpart Marti Cifuentes didn’t panic either.

He changed a few things at half-time and Rangers took the hint and were as excellent in the second half as they were bad in the first period. No Marti, no party as the flag in the away end read.

So, a draw it was in the end. Wilder’s point about his side’s fitness levels not being at pristine levels yet was telling and valid.

As was his assertion that there should be an element of patience regarding United, whose starting line-up contained four players who were making their first starts at Bramall Lane with another four newcomers – including two signed this week – being on the bench.

Yet, it was still pretty disappointing by the end.

Ultimately, United didn’t manage the game and handle pressure properly with a bit of scar tissue still apparent from last season among those involved with events in 2023-24. The Blades are now winless in 11 league matches in front of their own supporters.

Along with that psychological aspect, it also takes time for new relationships to build within teams, although the understanding between O’Hare and Hamer can be taken as read. It’s telepathic.

After doing damage in the sky blue of Coventry, they soon created havoc in the red and white. Should they both be on deck together between now and May, then United – even accounting for the second-half events at the weekend – should have some fun.

They combined just six minutes in with some intricate interplay.

When O’Hare was away on the left, there was only one team-mate he would find with his cut-back. The ball gravitated to Hamer, whose drilled shot arrowed into the corner.

For O’Hare, it was a nice moment. In his previous appearance at Bramall Lane on Boxing Day 2022, he suffered a season-ending injury early in the piece when he ruptured his ACL. An encore soon arrived from the deadly duo.

Again, O’Hare and Hamer caused bother down the left with the latter’s low cross tapped in at the far post by home debutant Kieffer Moore.

United were making a statement, as were fellow relegated side Burnley in their home opener with Cardiff, but just one would last the course. On the resumption, the hosts went into their shells.

The warning signs were there ahead of Jimmy Dunne getting the R’s back in it with a glancing header from a well-delivered corner.

The Blades were spooked and most of the action was towards their own goal as opposed to Rangers’, who took a firm hold on proceedings.

Adam Davies made a key save to deny substitute Zan Celar. All of Rangers’ substitutes would make an impact, although the main one from Jack Colback in receiving a second caution for a bit too much lip on 83 minutes was rather silly.

QPR kept going and had their moment when they seized on uncertainty down United’s left.

Koki Saito, an irritant, found fellow replacement Lyndon Dykes and his angled low shot had real precision.

Sheffield United: Davies; Gilchrist (Souttar 77), Ahmedhodzic (Brewster 91), Robinson, Burrows; Arblaster, Souza (Rak-Sakyi 91); Brooks (Slimane 85), O’Hare (Peck 85), Hamer; Moore. Unused substitutes: Cooper, McCallum, Trusty, Marsh.

QPR: Nardi; Dunne, Cook, Clarke-Salter, Paal; Varane (Colback 46), Dembele (Celar 68), Andersen (Smyth 43), Field, Lloyd (Saito 67); Frey (Dykes 85). Unused substitutes: Walsh, Morrison, Dixon-Bonner, Santos.

Referee: A Backhouse (Cumbria).